| By Big Radio News Staff |

The Rock County District Attorney says a Beloit cop shot a man dead April 28 as he was swinging a pair of swords and telling police “go ahead and shoot me.”

A D.A.’s investigation into the April police-involved shooting shows Beloit officer Nicholas Rodenbeck shot 33-year-old Beloiter Michael Ward as Ward was out in street on the 1700 block of Ashland Avenue, brandishing a 3-foot-long sword at a woman Ward knew.

According to a D.A.’s report, Rodenbeck fired six shots at Ward, some of which struck Ward in the chest. Rodenbeck fired the shots because police say Ward was rushing toward the woman with the swords. The woman was trying to get Ward to put down the blades.

The D.A.’s report shows Ward was more intent on swinging the swords and telling police to shoot him, even after officers had told him multiple times to drop the blades and surrender.

It was the second time police had been to the Ashland Avenue residence that morning. They say Ward was smashing up the woman’s belongings, holding a hunting knife to his own throat, and threatening to kill himself or commit “suicide by cop.”

Both the D.A. and the state’s Division of Criminal Investigation say body cam and squad cam video along with witness statements show Rodenbeck’s actions were justified to protect the woman Ward was approaching with swords.

The DA’s report says the 3-year veteran cop Rodenbeck gave Ward emergency care until paramedics arrived.